1. The Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to wireless communications networks. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to analyzing arbitrary wireless network data using matched filters.
2. The Relevant Technology
As a result of advances in technology and enormous increases in the number of wireless device users, the size and complexity of wireless communications networks has greatly increased. A consequence of such increases in size and complexity has been a proportional increase in operational and performance problems associated with communications networks. Reliability issues, such as dropped calls, lack of coverage, and poor audio quality are examples of some of the operational and performance problems associated with communications networks. As new services are introduced that use even more complex technology, exercise different usage modalities, and place additional demands on networks already laden with problems, network performance will continue to be a factor that impacts usage of the technology. Quality of service has a direct impact on customer churn, a tough and costly problem that reduces profitability. Therefore, improving quality of service is a top priority for service providers.
Maintaining an acceptable level of service quality in continually changing networks is a difficult task. Wireless networks, for example, are constructed in changing environments. Seasonal changes, land development, network additions, and the addition of new services are examples of a changing environment. These changes and others often require continual monitoring and tuning in order to maintain an acceptable level of service quality.
The difficulties in maintaining service quality is evident by the fact that many users of cellular networks often experience, for example, dropped calls, insufficient signal, or other problems. Often, the number of reported incidents or problems for a given wireless network can overwhelm the capacity of the associated carrier to investigate and resolve the reported problems. As a result, carriers often resort to counts of problem incidents in geographic areas as a means to select which problems are the most important and then work to resolve those selected problems.
Because carriers are often making an educated guess regarding the problems that are being experienced in a wireless network, it may be the case that relatively unimportant problems, in terms of business value, are being addressed at the cost of larger problems.
Carriers have access to huge quantities of data, but do not have adequate tools that enable them to effectively triage, diagnose and eliminate the various problems that may arise in a wireless network. This lack of tools, when combined with the lack of resources to address all of the problems in a wireless network, leads to an inefficiently monitored network, to unresolved network problems, and to poor quality of service. Systems and methods are needed that can identify with more assurance the cause of the problems that are occurring in a wireless network. The ability to better classify problems in a wireless network can lead to gains in efficiency and better allocation of the resources used to address those problems. These operational improvements will precipitate better customer retention and easier customer acquisition—two underpinnings of gains in market share and increased profitability.